On August 8, 1973, the celebration of the Feast Day of St. Dominic, patron saint of the University of Santo Thomas, sixteen young, all male, energetic and ambitious freshmen and sophomore students of this university, sharing the same interest, dreams and ambitions, form their own kind of fraternal organization – the Alpha Kappa Rho Fraternity. This was during the tumultuous early years of martial rule in the Philippines. However the time was then, these young men, guided by the almighty, bonded themselves together as one.
Our group was formed out of necessity since that time, as it is now, members of other fraternities in the AB-Commerce building of UST, would recruit potential neophytes to join their ranks. But since this new grouping, whose members were mostly products of exclusive schools for boys in Metro Manila were themselves already in a band in the campus, and in order to ward-off the pesky recruiters who could not wait to lay their hands on them, they thought – why not form their own?
Lead by Bro “Boy” Chua, whose idea was it to form their own brand of fraternity, and with Bro Noli Manalo, Bro Roger Sarmiento, Bro Teddy Aves, Bro Philip Balange, Bro Tanny Bernabe, Bro James Bracewell, Bro Monchet Cabrera, Bro Philip Diman, Bro Renato Go, Bro Teddy De Lara, Bro Arnel (Lim) Lorenzo, Bro Vismark QueQuep, Bro Edwin Solano, Bro Ronnie Leuterio, and Bro Gil Villegas, they founded the Alpha Kappa Rho Fraternity of AKP. Thus, the seed of the organization was planted and soon after, the birth of AKP came to be.
Happy times and good times followed out to this AKP barkadahan. However, what started out as cluster of young students out to have good education while having fun inside the university campus began to take seriously their being members of this new group. Little did our founding fathers realize that they were already creating ripples of anxiety with other fraternities for grabbing attention for themselves inside the school.
It happened that our founders themselves were likewise starting to recruit young to join their own rank. Tension rose within the UST campus among fraternities with our presence. Inevitably, we had to show true grit during heightened emotions, even when others tried vainly to erase the name Alpha Kappa Rho in the face of the earth. Our growing young fraternity then stood their ground and faced adversities with much courage, vigor, and fortitude, in defense of, and for the protection of its existence.
The collective unanimity among our founding members to pursue with the firmness the existence of AKP became very clear. Soon after, under the guidance of the founding AKP brods, the Alpha Kappa Rho sorority was likewise established. With smart and friendly sis such as Marissa Cumuyug, the late Jayjay Aquino, Alda Altiveros, Girlie Tesoro, Grace Mendoza, Jay Mercado, and Irene Ileto, they formed the first sorority members of the AKP in UST.
In so short a time, the small group develops into a strong force – in character and spirit, as well as in great number. Its popularity grew by leap and bounds! More collegiate chapters were formed in the different universities and colleges in Metro Manila, and over the years, spread as well to all parts of the Philippines. Later, Junior and Community chapters were likewise established and became part of the AKP family. Brods Jun Pasaporte and William Ho founded the Junior AKP in UE.
In addition to the adoption of the AKP sorority, other fraternities and sororities with the same thoughts and feelings as that of the AKP that time merged with it. From these mergers evolved one practice which has become the hallmark of our group.
For one, the noble name, the traditional hand mark and its handclasp was a covenant agreed by our fore leaders from both AKP and Omega fraternity and sorority, Inc. represented by our OFSI brods from San Sebastian College, Brods Alex Ramirez, Dennie Ravarra, Alex Mangubat, to name a few, and together with the officers of the founding members and the officers of AKP, they signed their pledge for in and behalf of each other group. This merged was happened in Sept. 1976 at Rancho Estate, Marikina (Then a municipality) was a momentous for to this day we carry in our hands the mark of the synthesis, in the handclasp that set a strong bond and true unity under one name, the Alpha Kappa Rho.
And on August 8, 2008, the 35th Anniversary of AKP, the first National Convention was conducted, brothers from all over the Philippines meet and elected a rightful officers from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Thus the first National Council was established.
The AKP or SKEPTRON SOCIETY as it is likewise known has always been and always will be an organization steeped in the tradition of the past – free expression, fun loving, seek for the truth, unity, loyalty, respect the pursuit of the true brotherhood and sisterhood. The organization made up of men and women from diverse cultural, social, religious, political background and interest. It has spread trough-out the archipelago and all over the world has now become better known as the Alpha Kappa Rho International Humanitarian Service Fraternity and Sorority.
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